ED attaches assets of YouTuber Elvish Yadav, others over illegal use of snakes in music videos
The ED had registered a case in May and pressed charges under the PMLA after taking cognisance of an FIR and charge sheet filed against Elvish Yadav.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally seized properties worth ₹52.49 lakh in connection with a wildlife crime case involving the illegal use of snakes and exotic animals in music videos and vlogs, officials said Thursday.
The assets, including agricultural land in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district and bank accounts, are linked to popular content creators Siddharth Yadav alias Elvish Yadav, Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuria, and Sky Digital India Pvt. Ltd. The properties were seized under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, according to an ED statement.
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What are the cases against Elvish Yadav?
The investigation stems from two separate police cases filed in Noida and Haryana’s Badshahpur between November 2023 and March 2024.
The first case followed a sting operation by Noida police that uncovered agents supplying snakes and venom for private events, while the second accused Yadav and others of using snakes in music videos, violating wildlife protection laws.
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ED investigators revealed that Rahul Yadav and Elvish Yadav illegally used protected snake species and exotic animals, such as iguanas, in their content to boost social media followers and generate revenue. The music videos were produced by Sky Digital India Pvt. Ltd. and distributed on YouTube, the ED said.
“ED has identified the Proceeds of Crime linked to this activity and has attached both movable and immovable properties belonging to Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuria, Elvish Yadav, and M/s Sky Digital India Pvt. Ltd,” it said.
On April 6, police in Gautam Buddh Nagar filed a 1,200-page chargesheet against Yadav and seven others, nearly six months after the first FIR was registered. The chargesheet detailed how snakes were smuggled and their venom used at parties.
However, charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act were later dropped, with police stating it was a “mistake” on their side.
